


something so precious about this

by arachnistar



Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel
Genre: F/F, Family, Getting Together, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 09:24:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18914125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arachnistar/pseuds/arachnistar
Summary: The simple fact is this: Carol will always be there for Maria. So, when Maria arrives at her doorstep at midnight, trembling, and says she needs her, there’s not even a question about it. Carol goes.Maria is pregnant and Carol is there for every moment.





	something so precious about this

**Author's Note:**

> I am absolutely certain this doesn’t work timeline-wise but who cares? Consider it an AU. Anyway, the alternative title for this fic is I can’t believe I wrote pregnancy fic. It’s not generally a trope I enjoy or care about, but something about this ship has done it for me. Who am I? I did my research but I apologize if there are any errors.
> 
> Title is from the song From Eden by Hozier.

The simple fact is this: Carol will always be there for Maria.

So, when Maria arrives at her doorstep at midnight, trembling, and says she needs her, there’s not even a question about it. Carol goes. They need to be up early for flight runs but that doesn’t matter. Maria does.

Although she didn’t need an explanation to change and join Maria in her car, Carol does expect one on their drive, at least a destination, but Maria is quiet. Her fingers grip the steering wheel tightly, as if the world will far apart if she doesn’t hold on, and her eyes remain fixed on the road ahead.  

“Maria.” Carol tries. “Are you okay?” 

There’s no answer. 

“Maria.”

“Please, just - “ Maria shakes her head. “Don’t.”

Normally Carol would push. She’s that way with people, stubborn and combative, all the things that suit her in the Air Force but make people, especially men and prim old women, frown in disapproval. But Maria’s tone, it’s scared and small, Carol’s never heard Maria  _afraid_  before, she wants to punch whoever made her feel this way and it’s a little chilling to know that maybe this isn’t a problem with a face to punch, it gives her pause. She shifts in her seat and briefly places her hand on Maria’s arm.

“It’ll be okay.” 

Maria doesn’t say anything but she does give a small nod.

They arrive at the corner-store. It’s such a normal place for them to go, they stop by this store all the time to get food before driving up into the mountains or holding movie nights, that it takes Carol aback to be here now when Maria is absolutely not acting normal. Maria doesn’t move right away and Carol waits, fingers tapping against the car door. Finally, the other woman closes her eyes, murmurs something too quiet for Carol to make out, and gets out. Carol follows. 

They walk past the beer, the chocolate, the snack aisle, all the way to the back where there’s a section for over-the-counter medicines and first aid supplies. Maria stops in front of the pregnancy tests and stares at them.

Okay, so this  _really_ isn’t a problem she can punch unless the man Maria slept with turns out to be an ass about it. 

A lump lodges itself in Carol’s throat. Maria continues to stare at the row of boxes, still except for the shaking of her shoulders. Carol clears her throat, it takes a moment to remember how to speak, and then says, “Maria,” in the softest voice she has.

“Which one do you think is the best?”

Carol stares at the display. Half of them claim to be the most accurate pregnancy test on the market. The other half just straight-up claim to be the best. One of the boxes is blue with daisies, but the cheery flowers don’t feel appropriate for the moment. Carol plucks a simple, white box that is recommended by doctors and promises accurate results in ten minutes. She waves it.

“This one.” 

Maria nods and takes it from her without meeting her eyes. She adds a chocolate bar at the last second as they stand by the cashier. Like maybe it’ll detract attention away from the white box. For his part, the man working the register doesn’t blink twice at two women buying a pregnancy test past midnight.

The drive back is even quieter than the drive there. The box sits on the console between them, the chocolate bar beside it. Carol is waiting for Maria to talk to her, and the quiet is making her itch but she resists the temptation to break it. This is for Maria. It’s not Carol’s place to go charging in, seeking answers. Not this time.

Carol expects them to head to Maria’s but instead Maria parks the car outside of Carol’s place. Maria glances over at her. “Do you mind?”

“No. Go ahead. My home is yours.”

Maria nods and they exit. Walk to the front door, down the hall, and then they’re both standing outside the bathroom. Maria’s hand is clenched around the box, but she’s not moving. 

Carol places a hand on her back. “It’ll be okay. Whatever happens, I’m here.”

“Knowing won’t change if it’s real or not.” Maria responds firmly, like she’s shoring up bravery before a battle charge, and with that, she heads in. Carol lingers outside until Maria comes back out, carrying a test tube containing a red solution. 

“So...?” Carol draws it out and Maria smirks a little.

“You gotta wait.”

They sit on the sofa, the test tube set in its holder on the coffee table. The empty box and instructions, plus the chocolate bar, sit nearby. Carol tries not to stare at the red liquid, to not search for the slightest change in hue. She hopes it doesn’t change. Maria sits by her side, tense, fists balled up.

Ten minutes.

They have to wait ten minutes.

Carol has never been good at sitting still and staring at the test tube is making it worse, her body itching to move and _do_ something. Except there’s nothing to do. She shifts in her seat and looks at Maria who is staring at the test tube like it’s a rattlesnake, coiled up and prepared to strike.

It’s quiet and this time, Carol does break the silence. “I meant it, I’m here. Whatever this says and whatever you want to do about it. I’ve always got you.”

Maria gulps. “I know.” 

And then, glancing at Carol, “It was Frank.” 

“Oh.” There’s a flutter in Carol’s chest. 

The fact is this: Carol will always be there for Maria. She will always be there, and she will always love her, regardless of what happens to her heart in the process.

And the other fact, the one she has never put into words, is: Carol loves Maria in every sense of the word. Would marry her if it was possible, which it isn’t. But Maria doesn’t love Carol back. Not like that anyway. Which is fine. It doesn’t preclude them from being best friends. It’s fine. 

“My period’s late. And I’ve been feeling nauseous.”

“Doesn’t mean you’re pregnant.”

“I might be.”

They lapse into silence. Minutes drag by, the ticking of the clock the only sound in the room. The red solution becomes lighter and then it’s entirely clear. There’s a sharp intake of breath from Maria and Carol looks over at her. Her eyes are wide, eyelashes fluttering, her lips tight.   

“We’ve got this.” And then, because this is Maria and Maria’s body and while Carol will be there every step of the way, she’s not the one with a fetus inside her, “ _You’ve_ got this.”

“I – “ She shakes her head, voice breaking. “I don’t know if I do. I can’t, I can’t be a mother. I don’t know the first thing about it. I’m too young. And what about flying?”

_And what about flying?_

Carol’s heart breaks. It’s the thing both of them have dreamed about since they were little, being among the stars, flying high above everything, feeling invincible because up there, you can be free in a way you can’t on the ground. That dream, that _ambition_ , because dreams are wonderful but intangible without ambition, they can easily be allocated to nighttime reveries and what-ifs but ambition can drive you forward through all the shit until you’re where you want to be, it’s gotten them here. They shared that drive and because they also shared struggles, they bonded quickly ever since Carol fell off a rope course and then stood back up again because she wasn’t going down. No matter what.

And now, now Maria is living her dream, they both are, they get to wake up in the morning and _fly_. Not in combat, they won’t allow women to do that, but they get to fly test planes and there is no better feeling in the world than being up there, euphoric and free.

(Carol can only think of one feeling that might be better – but she’ll never feel it so it doesn’t bear overthinking.)       

The fact is: Maria is living her dream but flying test planes is dangerous business and a baby is not necessarily conducive to that lifestyle.

“Do you want to keep it?”

“I haven’t thought about that.” Maria frowns and there’s pain on her face.

Carol reaches over, grips Maria’s arm tightly. Her voice swells with confidence, that self-assurance that can power suns. “It’s okay. You don’t have to choose now. Think it over. Whatever you decide, I’ll be there. I’ll go with you to the clinic and I’ll push back the pro-life protestors if that’s what you want. And if you keep it, if you have it, you’re still going to fly. I’ll be there to take care of the baby if anything happens and you’ll still get to be the second-best pilot in the world.”

Maria shoves at her for that comment and Carol grins. “As if.” And then Maria’s voice drops back into vulnerability, “You mean it? This goes beyond the duties of friendship.”

“I’m not just your friend. I’m your _best_ friend. Of course I mean it.”

“Thank you.” Maria smiles, it makes Carol’s heart patter in her chest, a nervous staccato rhythm, and places her hand over Carol’s on her arm. She squeezes and repeats. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Carol leans over and wraps her arms around Maria. She’s still shaking, but not as bad as when she first showed up at Carol’s door. Maria’s arms fit around Carol’s waist and pull her closer. Her face pushes into Carol’s shoulder. Her whole body shudders, a sharp inhale followed by a prolonged shaky exhale. They stay like that for a long time. 

\--

Frank, the man Maria has gone on five dates with, is the second person Maria tells.

Frank is a firefighter, a big man with calloused hands and kind eyes. He’s the kind of person that probably would have been running into burning buildings to save neighbors even if he wasn’t an official firefighter. He’s also the kind of person that only eats toast if it has cinnamon on top and knocks things over when he’s nervous, which is often in certain social situations. He doesn’t technically live in town, he’s with a group of firefighters that go where needed in California during wildfire season. There are no active fires in the area but there are prescribed burning sites that he’s attending to currently.

Maria sits him down at her dining table, takes his hands, and says, “I’m pregnant.”

“What?”

“I’m pregnant.” She repeats, slower.

“You’re… pregnant?” His gaze drops down, as if he might be able to catch a baby bump there.

Maria rolls her eyes and tries to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest that his tone gives her. “I’m not showing yet.”

“You’re certain?”

“I am.” Maria gives it a moment to sink in. Frank’s hands have gone stiff in hers and now he pulls them away. “We need to talk about this, Frank.”

“I’m sorry, Maria. I can’t.” He stands up, shaking his head. “I can’t be a father right now. I’m too young. I travel too much for work.”

“Frank, I get it. You’re scared, I am too, but we – “

“I’m sorry.” He repeats and before Maria can say anything else, he’s crossed her small living room and opened the door. Maria stands up. He pauses there and without turning back, without looking at her, says in a quiet voice, “I’m sorry.”

And then he walks out.

Maria stares at the door that Frank just bolted through, her shoulders shaking, tears forming in her eyes. She charges to the door and yells, “Fuck you, asshole!” Then she slams it shut. It doesn’t make her feel better.

And then, because her superpower is making everything better, Maria calls up Carol. Carol is over in a matter of minutes with ice cream and cheesy action movies and she does it, she makes things better.

\--

Later that night, after they’ve run through all the movies and finished off the tub of ice cream, Maria leans her head against Carol’s shoulder and says, “I want to keep it.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Maria feels the bob of Carol’s head. “Ok. You might be able to get child support payments from Frank.”

“Fuck Frank.”

Carol laughs. “That’s the right attitude. He’s a loser.”

“He knocked over his drink on our first date.” It doesn’t matter that Maria found it a little endearing at the time, the stream of apologies as he tried to help the waitress with their wet tablecloth, the quiet admission later that he’d been a little nervous. That had been the first time they kissed, Maria grabbing him by the face to pull him in, but it didn’t matter. What matters now is that he’s a bumbling idiot.

“He probably thinks women piss from their vaginas.”

“Probably.” Maria agrees. “Did you know he’s afraid of crickets? _Crickets_.”

It feels good, dragging Frank through the mud like this, laughing at his imbecility, but eventually they’ve said all there is to say and silence descends on them. Maria thinks about how her child is going to grow up without a father. Her hand drops to her stomach. She’ll make sure they know it isn’t their fault; it’s Frank’s and no one else’s.

And then she thinks about what being a single mother will be like. Long hours spent working and taking care of them and finding a way to make her career work with motherhood. It’s a little terrifying, how much she doesn’t know and how much she’ll have to do. Alone, but also, she looks at Carol,   

“You’ll be here?”

“I promise.”

\--

Carol normally comes over to Maria’s before they set off to the airbase together, and so she’s here today. Except Maria isn’t answering her doorbell. Carol pounds at the door and yells, “Maria! Everything okay?”

She bites her lip. It’s unusual for Maria to be late. She waits another beat and then yells, “I’m coming in! Better not catch you naked!”

Although it wouldn’t exactly be an unwelcome sight.

Carol opens the door with the spare key Maria gave her and walks in. The lights are out except for the one at the end of the hall, leading to Maria’s bathroom. Carol walks over and knocks. “Everything okay in there?”

“This baby wants to kill me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“Speak for yourself.”

Carol waits a moment and then asks, “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

Carol opens the door. Maria is on the floor by the toilet, skin covered in a fine sheen of sweat and brow furrowed in determination, like she’s fighting the hardest battle of her life. Carol crouches by Maria’s side.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like hell. My mom told me her morning sickness was bad but I didn’t know she meant like this. It gives me a new appreciation for everything she put up with.”

Carol grimaces. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Unless you can magically make this go away.”

“Sorry, I’m fresh out of magic.”

“Pity. Must have wasted it beating my high score in pinball last night.”

“I won fair and square and you _know_ it.” Carol argues.

Maria rolls her eyes. “There’s nothing you can do. You should just go ahead to base. Let them know I’ll be a little late.”

“Don’t be stupid. I’m not leaving you here.”

“We’re both going to get in trouble for tardiness.”

Carol’s lips thin. Both of them know how tenuous their positions are; that if they show weakness or make a mistake, they may be removed from flying altogether. “I’ll call and let them know you’re feeling sick and I’m taking care of you.”

Maria opens her mouth to answer and then a wave of panic rushes over her and she leans over the toilet bowl, retching. Carol places her hand on Maria’s back and rubs soothing circles as her friend continues to shake. Once Maria’s done, Carol’s hand brushes her hair back from her forehead.

“Better?”

“A bit, yeah. Thanks.”

“Have you been feeling like this every morning?”

“A little nauseous, yes. Vomiting in the toilet, no, this is new.” 

“It should be over after the first trimester.”

Maria stares at her. “Someone’s done their research.”

Carol shrugs. “I just picked up a book. One of us needed to learn these things.”

Maria continues to stare at her, it makes Carol feel entirely open, like Maria can peer into her heart and see every single emotion written on it, and she thinks maybe she’ll say something. Maybe something will happen, her heart starts to hammer in her chest – and then the moment passes, Maria breaks eye contact to flush the toilet and stands up.

“Come on. You can have whatever you want from my kitchen and I’ll see if I can manage some toast.”

\--

At that point, it becomes abundantly clear that Maria shouldn’t continue hiding it from Dr. Lawson at the very least. So, at the end of the day, when everyone else is packing up and changing back into their civilian clothes, Maria pulls Dr. Lawson aside to explain the situation. Dr. Lawson listens with understanding in her eyes, no judgment and no questions about Maria’s marital status. Maria could cry, she really could, even her parents gave her some shit about it before offering to fly over to help any way they could (Maria had politely declined and explained that Carol was around).

At the end of it, Dr. Lawson nods and promises she’ll look into options for maternity leave and not to worry about her position at the airbase.

It’s weeks later, once Maria has started to show, that she tells the rest of the base while they’re gathered in the breakroom for lunch.

Jenkins mutters something about finally getting back to her proper place and before Carol can whirl around to deck him, Maria snaps, “Don’t worry Jenkins. I’ll be back to flying circles around your ass soon enough.”

There’s laughter from the rest of their squad and Jenkins adopts a sheepish expression because it’s _true_ , he’s not as good a pilot as Maria, and Carol has never been prouder of her.

She still wants to deck him in the face though.

\--

Maria opens the door and instead of the pizza delivery man, there’s Frank. He’s wringing his hands and giving her this nervous kind of smile.

She scowls, adopting her best Carol Danvers patented leave-me-alone face. “What do you want, Frank?”

For his credit (and Maria barely gives him any these days), he looks ashamed. “I know I freaked out and ran off when you told me. I messed up and I’m sorry, I really am, but I’ve been thinking a lot about things and… I want to be a part of this kid’s life. They’re mine just as much as yours. I want to support them and I want to be their dad.”

It’s the last thing Maria expected out of Frank’s lips and for a moment, she just stands and stares at him and waits for him to pull a gotcha. It’s not that he was unreliable before, he always arrived on time for dates with a bouquet of flowers, he was courteous, but their relationship hadn’t been a close one and after he ran off, she’d written him off as just another asshole loser. Carol had _eviscerated_ him. It had been a lot of fun.

And now… it’s a little hard to reconcile this apologetic man with the image she’s built up in her head, the one that replaced every actual impression of him with a crueler representation.

There are a lot of things Maria can say to him. A lot of thoughtful things worth discussing, the logistics of child support, the extent she even cares for him to be in her life at this point. She could just slam the door in his face. It would probably serve him right for running away in the first place.   

Instead she says, “I don’t want to marry you.”

And Carol pops up in her head, Carol who’s been here the whole time, who never freaked out even when Maria came to her house too late in the night and didn’t explain herself, who makes Maria laugh like no one else ever has, who makes her feel valued and important, like she belongs somewhere, who has gorgeous blonde hair that shines in the sun and a smile that shines even brighter.  

But that’s beside the point.

Frank shakes his head. “This isn’t a proposal. I’m just asking you to let me be a part of the kid’s life. That’s all.”

Maria stares at him. He looks earnest enough. She sighs. “I need to think about it.”

He nods. “Of course. Can I come in?”

“No.” Maria may be willing to consider letting Frank into her child’s life, she may even consider forgiving him for ditching her, but she certainly isn’t going to upset plans with Carol for him. “It’s girl’s night.” 

\--

“Did they bring the extra pepper flakes?”

Carol asks when Maria enters the room. She’s sprawled out on the couch. She looks so comfortable, it’s her place, it’s where she belongs. It makes Maria pause for a moment and stare.   

“It wasn’t the delivery man. It was Frank.”

Carol bolts up. “You okay? You need a face punched in?”

Maria snorts and shakes her head. “No. It’s fine. He apologized for bailing.” Carol doesn’t look particularly impressed by this apology. It would make Maria laugh on a normal day but Frank showing back up is hardly normal. She walks over and sits down on the couch by Carol. “Actually, he wants to be a part of the kid’s life.”

“Oh.” Carol’s gaze leaves her, settling on some space in-between the lamp and the void. “He making an honest woman out of you then?”

Maria knows the move. Classic Danvers crack-a-joke and don’t-face-a-difficult-conversation. She’d pulled it the first time the topic of her father came up and again the first time she came out to Maria. It’s nothing new. Maria just doesn’t know _why_ Carol is using it right now. It bothers her, scratches at her brain like she really should know the reason, this is her best friend and Maria almost always knows what’s going on in her head, but Maria plays along for now and laughs with a shake of head.  

“None of that. But he is willing to be her father.”

“That’s good. Guess he’s not a complete asshole after all.” Carol’s voice is tight and weird and defensive, her body coiled.

“Carol.”

“What?”

“Look at me.”

For a moment, Carol doesn’t budge. Then she looks at Maria. Carol’s frowning, brow low.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” Carol shakes her head vehemently. Her lips strain into a smile. “This is great news! I’m glad he’s doing this. He _should_ be doing this. Men should take responsibility for their children.”

“Something’s wrong.” 

Carol doesn’t answer immediately. She looks around the room, as if searching for escape routes, and then, presumably finding none, shrugs. “Do you _want_ him to make an honest woman out of you?”

“Are you seriously asking if I want to marry Frank?”

“Do you?”

“No.”

Carol’s body instantly relaxes, her shoulders drop and there’s the briefest flash of a smile, a genuine one, across her face.

And it clicks. Maria gets why Carol is acting so weird. Or she thinks she does, if she really knows her best friend as well as she thinks she does.

“Carol.” The other woman still doesn’t look at her. “Do _you_ want to make an honest woman out of me?”

Carol’s eyes dart to her, wide with panic, and then skitter away, confirming Maria’s suspicions. It makes her heart jump, pound loudly in her ears. Anything could happen right now and Maria isn’t entirely certain she knows what she wants to happen. But she remembers thinking of Carol when she told Frank that she didn’t want to marry him and that, that means something.  

“Pretty sure that’s the opposite of honest in society’s eyes.”

“When has Carol Danvers ever let someone tell her what she can and can’t do?” There’s no answer. “If it was legal, would you?”

Carol is quiet for long enough that Maria starts to think she just won’t answer. She isn’t sure where that’ll leave them. This moment, delicate and full of potential, like the moment right before the Big Bang, when everything was crowded into a single point just waiting to unwind into all possibilities, suspended ad infinitum.

And then Carol’s jaw sets, the way it does right before she’s about to do something brave and maybe something foolish and absolutely something defiant, and she looks at Maria, right in the eye, and says, “Yes.”  

Then, softer, hesitant, “If you’d take me.”

Maria reaches over, slides her hands around Carol’s face to hold her there, she can’t take back these words, she can’t look away or break off the moment if Maria takes too long to answer because she’s searching for words and finding none adequate. Carol watches her with a mix of fear and awe, eyes wide, body completely still.

“I would.”

Maria doesn’t wait to see the surprise in Carol’s eyes or the way her lips start curving up into a smile, before she moves forward and their lips touch. It’s soft at first, almost as hesitant as Carol’s last words had been, just the gentle press of their lips together, and then the reality of the situation sets in.  

Maria is kissing Carol Danvers. Carol, who always has her back and makes bad jokes and wants to win every competition she’s in no matter how small. Carol, whom Maria has only rarely thought about kissing because it felt like some forbidden boundary but whom she has always considered beautiful. Carol, her best friend whom Maria wants nothing more than to kiss within an inch of her life right now.

And with that, Maria tilts her head and opens her mouth to deepen the kiss. Somewhere along the way, something must have clicked in Carol’s head too because her hands have gone up to rest on Maria’s hips, fingers digging in to hold her closer. She groans softly when Maria darts her tongue out and the sound reverberates through Maria’s body. It’s her new favorite sound and she wants to keep finding ways to make Carol make it again.

They keep kissing until the need for air surpasses the need for each other, and even then, they only pull back far enough to catch their breaths. Carol tips her head forward, so their foreheads rest against one another and Maria opens her eyes to stare at her. They’re both panting, Carol’s breath warming Maria’s face, Mara’s puffing out across Carol’s.

“I do.” Maria whispers and Carol’s eyes are bright with emotion and tears and if was any other moment, Maria would tease her for going soft. As it stands, Maria’s own heart feels a lot like someone’s replaced it with a bowl of jelly, albeit a pounding bowl of jelly.

In fact, Maria feels the same way she did after her first flight, euphoric and dizzy and bright with the knowledge that this was something she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

\--

Carol practically moves in after that. It’s not hard. She doesn’t have very many things, has never been sentimental enough to collect much (Maria, on the other hand, has boxes and boxes of photos and other meaningful items that she refuses to part with even though a tattered scarf isn’t doing anything for her in the California desert).

Carol only has Goose who spends more time on base than in her apartment anyway and her clothing, which gradually starts to accumulate at Maria’s until Carol’s own closet is barren. She doesn’t realize it until she sleeps over at her own place one night and wakes up to find there’s nothing to wear except a grungy Metallica shirt with holes along the edges and a pair of ripped jeans.

Carol shows up at Maria’s in it. Maria takes one look at her and laughs.

“Hey! Don’t blame me! This was the only thing left in my closet.”

“What? Are you burning all your clothes, Danvers?” Then realization sinks in, Maria glances behind her shoulder as if she can _see_ the crowded condition of her closet and drawers, and then says, “Oh.”

“Yeah.” Carol crosses her arms. “We never talked about it.”

Maria nods. “It makes sense.”

“If you don’t mind, I’ll bring the rest of my things over tonight.”

“I don’t.”

The two of them grin at each other, giddy with excitement and love. It isn’t their first time being roommates; they shared a dorm room during training, but it’s different now.

It’s their home now.   

\--

Pancho’s is the first place Carol sees Frank since Maria became pregnant. He’s just arrived with some of his firefighter buddies, heading towards the bar and laughing at something one of them said. Maria hasn’t noticed him yet; she’s engrossed by a story Banjo is telling involving the jackrabbits that have taken up residence in his backyard that won’t leave him alone.

Carol slides out from their booth, murmurs a quick “I’ll be back,” and strides to the bar where Frank is currently about to sit down. Before he can, she taps him on the shoulder and he turns to look at her.

“Carol?”

His friends are watching them curiously and while Carol doesn’t mind attention, she thinks it’s better not to have this particular conversation in front of people. “Do you mind stepping outside for a bit? This won’t take long.”

Frank glances at his friends and then shrugs at her. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

Carol glances over at her own table. Maria’s still distracted – good. She walks outside and once they’ve walked away from the diner, she points a finger at Frank. 

“If you run off again, I will track you down and kill you.”

Frank starts to laugh and then pauses at the glare Carol is giving him. He sighs. “Okay, I deserved that.”

She could think of a dozen other things he deserves for doing it in the first place, but since Maria has decided to walk the path of forgiveness, Carol’s resisting the temptation to do any of them. “Damn right you did.”

He stares closely at her, she thinks he’s sizing her up, she tils her chin up, a challenge, and then he says, “I’m glad Maria has a friend like you.”

It’s a little disarming, getting a compliment from someone Carol had subconsciously decided was her enemy, but her steely façade only dissolves a little. “She deserves everything. Her kid too.”

Frank gives her a look, like maybe he sees something in her, in the way she defends Maria that isn’t wholly platonic, it actually gives Carol a moment of panic because other people cannot know about them, it can wreck their careers, but the moment passes and he only nods. “I’m not interested in starting a relationship with her. We had something good beginning but – well, she’s not interested anymore. Can’t blame her. But I’ll be here to help the kid, as much as I can.”

Carol nods. “Good. Don’t make me break you.”

“I promise I won’t.”

There is something to be said for a promise made behind a diner under the vast desert sky. It’s binding, the way vows on the River Styx and blood oaths in childhood are, the stars their witness.  

\--

Carol and Maria are curled up in the hammock together, staring up at the night sky, it’s Carol’s favorite place in the world, all the stars sparkling above them, the cool night air contrasted with the heat of Maria’s body, when Maria jolts by her side.

“Is everything okay?” Carol asks.

“They _moved_.” Maria breathes out, with wonder.

“That’s amazing.”

“Here.” Maria grabs Carol’s wrist and pulls her hand over. Carol’s fingers spread out over Maria’s belly. At first, she doesn’t feel anything, just the warmth of Maria’s skin. And then – a small shift. Her mouth opens and she looks at Maria with soft eyes.

There’s another kick and Carol looks back down. She whispers, “Hi there.”

“I think they like you already.”

Carol glances up at Maria and grins. Carol never planned on having kids, never expected to ever be in this position, waiting for a baby to be born, but there’s nowhere else she would rather be. There’s no other place that has felt like home and no other person that has felt like family in the way Maria – and her unborn child, Carol can’t wait to meet them – feel like.

“I like you too. I’m going to teach you all the stars when you’re out here.”

There’s no answering kick this time, but that’s okay. Carol slides her hand to Maria’s side, holding her steady, and shifts to kiss her. Maria’s hands go to her hips and move Carol until she’s hovering over her, hammock swaying as they shift in position. Carol pulls back then and smiles down at her, head tilting as she considers Maria in the moonlight.

“You’re beautiful.”

Maria smiles back. One of her hands goes up to tangle in Carol’s hair, cradling the back of her head. “Come down here, Danvers.”

Carol leans down to kiss her again, show her just how much she loves her.

\--

Carol doesn’t tell Maria about her encounter with Frank, but true to his word, he begins to help out with the medical bills from his admittedly meager income. He accompanies them to doctor’s appointments and stays out in the waiting room when Maria refuses to have him come in with her without complaining. After the first few visits, she lets him in for the ultrasound and he nearly cries looking at the screen. He also purchases a crib and comes around to dinner once a week. He never asks questions why Carol is always there, but she thinks he suspects. 

Carol spends the first few dinners committed to disliking Frank, she still doesn’t trust that he’s here for good, but eventually her dislike softens to a grudging acceptance when he shows a flair for making fancy desserts and a true commitment to helping.

Tonight, Frank asks Maria, “Can we talk? In private?”

Maria glances over at Carol and then back at Frank. “Anything you say to me, you can say in front of Carol.”

Frank casts a nervous glance at Carol who lifts her brows and nods at him to continue.

“Well ok then.” He pauses. It’s a little dramatic. “I’m moving to Oakland.”

“Like hell.” Carol says at the same time that Maria shakes her head and says, “What happened to supporting your child?”

“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for this to happen, but I was offered a fulltime position up north. Close to my parents and my sick aunt. It’s not an opportunity I can pass up.”

Maria has never been the type of person to constrain other people’s dreams. Especially not when so many people tried to do that to hers. She’s also never been the type of person to stand in the way of familial commitments. She closes her eyes and sighs. “Fine.”

Frank nods and takes a step towards her. His hands reach for hers but Maria shifts back, just enough that he knows not to reach again. “You could move up with me.”

“No.” Her answer is immediate. Just as she would never restrain Frank from his dream, she would never abandon hers. 

“It would be easier though. Raising the kid, if we were together.”

“No.” Maria repeats firmly. “I love my job and I won’t leave it for anything.”

“Even if it means being a single mother?”

Maria wants to point out that she’s _not_ a single mother, not really, that she has Carol who is better than any man, but that feels dangerously close to the truth and the truth can get them discharged. So, she swallows the complaint and says, “I’m not leaving.”

Frank opens his mouth but Carol beats him to the punch, “There are firefighter jobs here.”

“Not many. It’s a small department and they don’t have any openings. Plus, I can do a lot more good in a city. And… it’s not close to my family. They’ll be happy to have me close to home.” And then, because Frank can’t leave well enough alone, “You would like them.”

“I’m sure I would but I’m not leaving.”

Maria and Frank stare at each other for a moment and then he sighs.

“Okay,” and then, “I’m not leaving until after the birth and I’ll still send money to help. And, if it’s okay with you, I’ll come to visit.”

“It is.”

Once Frank leaves, Carol moves towards the door.

“I’m going to beat him up.”

Maria’s hand wraps around Carol’s bicep, pulls her back. “Don’t.”

“He promised not to leave again.”

“He also said he would continue to help.” Carol doesn’t look entirely convinced, like maybe she thinks Frank will skip out on payments and disappear off the face of the planet if she doesn’t chase him down right now. It’s certainly possible but Maria has to believe he’s a better man than that. And if he isn’t, well, she is more than capable of providing with her own income. And Carol is here. “Carol, I can’t be responsible for holding someone back from what they want to do. You know that.”

At last, Carol’s body relaxes. “I know.”

Maria releases her grip on Carol and runs her hand down to tangle their fingers together. She tugs and Carol steps closer to her. “It’s okay. I don’t mind that Frank is moving. I’m okay.”

And then she kisses Carol.

\--

Her joints ache, her back feels someone hit her with a car, her ankles have swollen, and Jenkins won’t stop making snide comments about how she should go rest at home and not bother coming back.

Also, she hasn’t flown a plane in months now, they won’t let her for safety reasons, so she’s been stuck repairing airplanes and filling out paperwork while watching everyone else take off. It’s bullshit. Absolute bullshit. She misses the sky and her feet and not having to use the bathroom every hour.   

She’s in the middle of a rant to Carol about it, getting more and more worked up about everything, voice rising, when Carol reaches over and grabs her hands. 

All at once, the fight leaves Maria, her shoulders slump, and she sighs, “I’m just tired, Carol. I miss flying and I miss being not pregnant.”

Carol nods, thumbs rubbing soothing circles against Maria’s skin. “I know, babe. I’m sorry.”

“I feel useless half the time and I’m tired of it. And I’m tired of people thinking I’m weak all the time.” Maria grumbles. That last point is really what gets her the most. She’s worked her entire life to be seen as strong, to be a better pilot than everyone else, and now even the men who saw her as an equal treat her as something delicate and breakable.  

“That’s the last thing you are.” Maria snorts and Carol continues, “You think Jenkins could handle this? No fucking way. I don’t know very many people that could. Putting up with all the shit you do and being a pilot and mechanic while pregnant? It’s incredible. You’re the strongest person I know.”

By the end of Carol’s speech, tears shine in Maria’s eyes. She blames it on the pregnancy and not on the way Carol always makes her heart soar. Maria tilts closer to her and they kiss. It still makes Maria feel like flying, the way her head spins and her heart pounds as their lips slide together.

“I love you.”

“I know.” Carol says and laughs when Maria smacks her arm.

“You’re not nearly handsome enough for that line to work.”

“Agree to disagree.” Carol swoops in to give her a quick peck. Her smirk transforms into something softer then, head falling to the side with fondness. “I love you too.”

“I know.” Maria cuts back and this time, both of them laugh.

\--

The day comes when Maria’s water breaks and Carol drives her to the hospital.

Carol calls Frank, so he can be there for his child’s birth and he rushes to the hospital with donuts which is a bit of a panicky move, he explains, there was a shop on the way and he didn’t know what to do. Maria can’t appreciate them, but Carol takes one and likes Frank a little more for it.

Carol and Frank are there the whole time. They hold Maria’s hands and say soothing things – or more, Frank rambles about how it’s going to be okay, she’ll be fine, she’s doing so well, and Carol takes every moment to remind Maria she’s a badass and she’s going to crush this labor thing just like she crushed every exam in flight school.

Maria grips their hands tighter, nails digging in, and yells. First at Frank for getting her in this situation and then at Carol for not getting that this is far worse than the drills they ran, they’re not even in the same ballpark, and she would understand that if she was in Maria’s place instead. Carol reminds her she has no plans to get pregnant and Maria grumbles at her.

Hours pass and finally, finally, little Monica Rambeau (Maria was _adamant_ that her daughter get her last name and Frank had relented when he recognized Monica would be spending most of her time with her mother) is born into the world.

She cries, loud and piercing, Carol nudges Maria “she’s got your scream” and Maria mumbles “shut up” and they’re both smiling so much, Frank too, and then the nurse presents Monica to Maria.

Maria is tired and disheveled and her eyes gleam as she holds her daughter. Carol stares at the two of them and knows this is it, these are the two people she loves more than anything else in the world and she will go anywhere and do anything for them.

“Hi Monica. It’s so nice to have you outside of me and to finally see your face.” Maria coos at her. Monica burbles. Her cries have tapered off since being passed to Maria. “This is your dad. Frank. He’s not that useless.”

They laugh, Frank protests that he’s a firefighter, he _saves_ lives, and there’s a squeal from Monica that Carol is counting as laughter even though the baby books say that won’t happen for a couple months.

“Hi Monica.” Frank’s voice is quiet and reverent and he waves his hand, a little shy.

“And this,” Maria looks at Carol, gaze soft, and they’ve never defined their relationship with words, never placed labels on it because how do you define something like this, “This is Carol. She’s always going to be there for you.”

“Hey Monica.” Carol waves at her. 

“Do you want to hold her?”

“Yes.”

And so, Maria passes Monica over to Carol. Carol is careful to support her head, she can’t believe how small and fragile Monica is wrapped up in her blanket, resting in Carol’s arms like the most precious package.

“Hi there.” Carol says, voice soft. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Monica gurgles and Carol’s smile widens. “You’re the most important person in the entire world. The universe even. I hope you know that.”

Maria shakes her head. “You’re not wrong, but don’t you dare spoil her rotten.”

“I make no promises.” Carol sing-songs and then laughs.

After rolling her eyes, Maria joins in and then Frank’s laughing too and this is it, her family, gathered together for the most important event in the entirety of human history.

**Author's Note:**

> Researching old pregnancy tests was fun. Did you know instead of peeing on a stick, you used to have to mix your urine with different chemicals in test tubes like a junior scientist? Wild. 
> 
> On Frank, originally, I intended to have him leave and just be the asshole boyfriend, but it’s too common a trope for black men and it’s not one I particularly wanted to fall into for this fic, especially since comics Frank isn’t like that. Also, I wanted to write the scene of Carol asking Maria if she wanted to marry him, which worked better if he returned. I also wanted to retain Maria being a single mother because it’s an important part of her story, so this is how I worked things out. He maintains contact with them, helping as he can, even when Carol ‘dies’ and Maria moves to Louisiana. 
> 
> If you want to chat with me about marvel or carol/maria or anything else, you can find me on [Tumblr](http://proofthatihaveaheart.tumblr.com/).


End file.
